Switch-box.



I c. A. ERICHSON.

SWITCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 1914.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

- manner...

@HAlEtLES At. ERICHSON, U31? STAMFORD, GUNWEGTIGUT, ASEEWTNOTI'TQ THE YALE d I TOWNE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, DIE fiiTlQiElEfURID, UDNNECTIGUT.

SWTTGH-BOX.

tpeetficattcn otiltetters Patent.

Patented Apr. 261., 19115..

Application filed March 12, 1914. Serial No. tit M89.

T all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. Enronson,

of bitamford, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch- Boxes; and T do hereby declare the followmg to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertams to Y make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in switch locking device, the object being to provide means for locking the cover of the switch box, to the box, so as to prevent its removal while the switch actuating mechanism is locked or unlocked. A further object is to provide a switch box with a plurality of key holes and with means actuated by a key for locking and releasing the switch actuating mechanism and switch box cover, and also for actuating the switch.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the parts and combination oi parts as will be more fully explained and pointed out in the claims.

in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View of the switch box; Fig. 2 is a view of theswitch mechanism, the cover plate and actuating mechanism being removed; Fig. 3 is a view in elevation 01 the rear face of the cap or cover plate, showing the means for locking the cover plate to the box, and Figs.

k 4,5, 6, 7 and 8 are views of the switch actuating and locking mechanism. Fig. 9 is a view showing the operating key.

1 represents the switch box, and 2 a centrally located hub carrying the segmental switch arm 3. The hub 2 is mounted for semi-rotary movement in the box 1 so as to carrythe arm 3 either into engagement with the contact 4, connected with a magneto, or into engagement with the contact 5 connected with a battery. length, and the contacts 4 and 5 so located,

- that the arm 3 cannot engage both contacts at the same time. The arm 3 is always in engagement with'contact 6, and the circuit through either the magneto or. the battery The arm 3 is of such.

may be completed by turning the hub 2 in a direction to carry its switch arm 3 into engagement with one of said contacts. The arm 3 is provided centrally with a recessed seat adapted to be engaged, when in its neutral position, /by the projection 7 on the con tact 6. This engagement of the projection 7 on the contact 6 with the recessed seat in the arm 3, operates to hold the switch arm 3 against the possibility of accidental engagement with either side contact 4: or 5.

8 is the cover plate, conforming in shape to the box 1 and secured thereto by screws 9. This cover plate is provided at one end with the fixed tongue 10 adapted to take under a shoulder 11 on the box 1, and is also provided at its 'opposite end with the pivoted bolt12, which is actuated by the post 13 carried by one of the key lock tumblers, so that when the switch is looked, as will be hereinafter explained, the bolt 12 will be projected to engage a shoulder 14: on the box 1 and thus lock the cover plate to the box, and prevent its removal, even though the attaching screws 9 be removed. The bolt 12 is pivoted at 15 to the cover plate, and is limited in'its pivotal movement by the screw 16, which passes through aslot in the bolt and is secured to the inner face of the cover-plate.

Riveted or otherwise permanently secured to the outer face of ,the cover plate 8 is tumbler housing 17 preferably circular in form and carrying the tumblers and switch actuating mechanism. This mechanism con sists of a plate 18 secured to and mounted to rock on the base or main plate of the housing" 1'7 and a series of tumblers 19 and 20. The rocking plate 1.8 is provided with, and mounted on a post 18 to the inner end of which the crank 21 is rigidly secured. This crank is located within a slot 20 in the cover plate and is provided with a pin 21- which rests within recess 22 in the hub 2 of the switch, so that when said plate 18 is rocked, the crank will rock with it and. turn the hub 2 and switch arm 3. The post 18 also projects in front of the rocking plate 18, and forms the support for the key, and on which the key turns. This plate 18 is also pro vided with a recess or slot 22 to receive'the toe 22 on key 24, so that when the switch is unlocked and the key properly placed, the rotation of the key will also rotate or turn the plate and then move the crank 21,-which,

vas previously explained, actuated theimb carrying the switch arm. The rocking plate 18 is also provided at one end with an open slot 25, adapted to receive the tongue 19 on tumbler 19, so that when said tumbler is shifted into one position by the key 24, the plate 18 will be absolutely locked against rocking movement.

The tumbler 19 is mounted to slide on the base of the housing 17 and carries the post 13 which passes through a slot in the base of said housing and also through a slot in the cover plate 8, and rests within the inclined slot 13 in the bolt 12, so that when tumbler I 19 is shifted into a position to lock the rocking plate 18 against movement, the post 13, will, by its engagement with the walls of the inclinedslot,.throw bolt 12 out, and into engagement with shoulder 11 on box 1, so that when the switch is locked, thecover plate 8 will also be locked to box 1, independently of the screws 9. When the locking plate 18 is released from. the tumbler 19 and free to be actuated by the key '24, the bolt 12 will be withdrawn thus leaving the cover plate 8 free to be removed by the withdrawal of the screws 9. Tumbler 19 is guided in its movements by the pins 26 and 27 carried by the base plate of the housing 17, and is provided with the fence 28, which coacts with the gatings in tumblers 20. These tumblers 20, three in the present instands, are each spring actuated and mounted on the pin 26 in a position to coact with the fence on the sliding tumbler 19.

The face late of the'housing 17 is provided with three key slots, two of which are horizontal and one vertical, and which are united immediately over the post 18 on rocking plate '18, so that said postforms a support for the key in each of its three positions.

WVhen the tumbler 19 is shifted to a posi- I tion to lock the rocking plate against movement, (in the present instance, to the left,) the right hand end of said tumbler 19 will .be projected under the right hand horizontal key opening and thus prevent the key from being inserted in the right hand horizontal key slot. When in this position, the rocking plate 18 will be held against movement, hence in order to release the plate 18,

v the key must beinserted in the left' hand horizontal slot and turned in a direction to actuate the tumblers 20 and 19. After the plate 18 has been released, it may. then be rocked to actuate the switch by inserting the key in the vertical slot and turning the key in the proper direction. In order to remove the key the switch armmust be turned to and then if it is desired to'lock the switch, the key is withdrawn and inserted in the right hand horizontal slot'and turned to shift the tumbler 19 to theleft, thus locking the switch actuating mechanism against movement and also lockits neutral. position,

to be turned by the key.

. ating mechanism ing the cover plate 8 to the box 1. When the tumbler 19 has been shifted to the left, or in a position to lock plate 18, the right hand horizontal key slot will be obstructed by said tumbler, and when shifted to the right the left hand key slot will be obstructed hence the ability to insert the key in certain positions indicates at once whether the switch is locked or unlocked.

In order to lock the switch against movement and also lock the cover plate of the box against removal, the key is entered in the right hand key hole and turned; this actuates the tumblers 20 to release tumbler 19 and permits the the left. To unlock the switch and also to withdraw the locking-bolt 12, the key is inserted in the left hand slot and turned thus causing tumblers 20 to release tumbler 19 and shifting latter to the right thus re moving the tongue 19 from the slot 25 in rocking plate 18, and leaving the latter free When the tumbler 19 is at its extreme left, the switch will be locked against movement, until released by a key constructed to actuate the tumbler mechanism, and when thrown to the right the plate 18 is free to be rocked by entering the key in the vertical slot and turning the same.

When the switch arm' is in engagement with either contact 4 or 5, the key can not be withdrawn, hence in order to withdraw the key the switch arm must be turned to its neutral position.

WVith this construction, when the switch is locked it is impossible to remove the cover plate in order to get at the actuwithout the use of the special key designed for use with the lock.

It is evident that many slight changes might be resorted to iii the relative arrangement of parts shown and described without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention. Hence I would have it under-. stood that I 'do not wish to confine myself to the exact construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, but

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to-secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. The combination of a switch box, a cover plate for the same, cover plate locking means carried by the cover plate and adapted to engage a keeper on the box for locking the cover plate to the box, a switch, key actuated means for throwing the switch and key actuated means for locking the switch throwing means and also for shifting the cover plate locking means.

2. The combination of a switch box and switch, switch actuating and locking means,

lockiilg means adapted by its position in 1 switch, switch actuating and locking means,

a cover plate having a plurality of key openings and means forming a part of the switch locking means adapted, when the switch is locked, to obstruct one key opening, and when the switch' is unlocked, to

obstruct another of said key openings.

4. The combination of a switch box, a

switch, switch actuating and locking means,

a cover plate having a plurality of key slots, a key guide common to all of said slots and means forming a part of said switch looking means, and adapted when in one position to obstruct one of said key openings and when in its other position to obstruct another of said openings.

switch,switch actuating and locking means, a cover plate having a plurality of connected openings for a key, two of said key open"- ings being for the passage of the key to the switch locking means and the other for the passage of the key to the switch actuating means. I

6. The combination of a switch box, a switch, a key actuated rocking plate for actuating the switch and a tumbler actuated in both directions by a key for locking and releasing said rocking plate.

7. The combination of a switch box, 'a cover plate for the same, cover plate looking means adapted to engage a keeper for locking the cover plate to the box, a switch,

switch, a key actuated rocking plate for actuating the switch, a tumbler actuated in both directions by a key for locking and releasing said plate and a key actuated tumbler coacting with said locking and releasing tumbler.

9. The combination oi a switch box, a

switch, a cover plate having a plurality of key openingsyswitch locking means, cover plate locking means actuated by the switch lockingmeans, and means forming a part ofthe 'switch locking means adapted by its position in rear of a key opening to indi- I cate the position of the switch. 5. lhe combination of a switch box, a

10. The combination of a switch box, a

, cover plate for same, a movable bolt carried by said cover plate and adapted to engage a keeper on thebox for locking'the cover plate to the box, a switch, key actuated means for throwing the switch, and a key actuated tumbler for locking the switch throwing means and'also-for shifting the cover plate locking bolt.

In testimony whereof, l have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES A. ERIGHSON.

Witnesses: v SOHUYLER MERRITT, STUART B. AVERY. 

